Invisible
by RukoYukine
Summary: Controlled. Logical. Caring. Kido Tsubomi is all of these traits. She thought she could handle tragedy. When tragedy strikes the Mekakushi Dan, Kido is not prepared. Now, she must come to terms with her feelings and risk losing everyone she loves as the team falls apart.
1. Chapter 1 - The Bridge

Chapter 1 - The Bridge

The blond boy had cat eyes. As usual, he was annoying. Actually, he was more annoying than ever today.

"Come on, Danchou," he insisted. "It's Valentine's Day!" He tried to wrap his arms around her, but the stiff, green haired leader of the group kept him at bay with a good, solid fist to his face.

"Touch me again, Kano, and I will personally make sure you don't survive to see another Valentine's Day." She was feeling edgy. Something was going to happen. What was this feeling?

"Mmm, Danchou, you're so mean!" Kano chuckled. He swerved, trying to plant a kiss on her cheek.

This time, the girl stepped on his foot, then quickly delivered a bow to his ribs. Kano doubled over in pain.

"Idiot," she muttered.

"S-sorry..." Kano groaned. Trying to regain his composure, he pulled his black hood up over his hair and stuck his hands into the pockets of his slim jeans. The wind blew the tails of his no-sleeved hoodie back and rumpled his light brown shirt.

The girl couldn't see his eyes, but she was sure that he wasn't as hurt as he pretended to be. Everyone knew Kano was a liar. She couldn't have really hurt him - could she?

Burying her hands deeper into the pockets of her lavender sweatshirt, the girl lowered her head, allowing her bangs to fall in her face. It was unusually warm for February. The snow that had fallen thick a few days before had all but disappeared. It almost smelled of summer, and summer, she knew, was not a good time.

It felt like summer, too. This uneasy feeling made her feel as though it was mid-August. It was the same uneasy feeling that came with the oppressive heat of the end of August. It was a red feeling, deep and heavy. It made her sweat just thinking about it.

Trying to distract herself, the green haired girl listened to the mindless chatter of the blond girl walking behind her.

"...and I was so nervous! They keep telling me I have to do a hit Valentine's Day single, but you know, I've never actually been in love with anyone before, so I don't know if I can do it..."

The green haired girl tuned out. Kisaragi was cute, and Momo was definitely more sociable than her brother, Shintaro.

Kano had started flirting with Momo after a short while. Kido knew he couldn't have been hurt badly by her words. This was proof. He was forever the flirt. Couldn't he take anything seriously?

Kido walked on in silence, the white pavement made a satisfying clicking sound as she tread on it. The river under the bridge on which they were walking was whispering. It was so blue. She ran her hand over the trailing of the bridge. The metal was cold and seemed to seep into her skin.

It felt good, the metal. The weather was really too nice for February, and the metal reminded her that it wasn't yet time for oppressive, sickening heat.

She glanced back. Kano had one arm around Momo, and he was laughing. Kido sighed.

Sometimes, she wished that she could be noticeable. She was happy, however, that she wasn't. Having Kano's attention on a day like Valentine's Day would have been disastrous. Granted, he had been flirting with her earlier, but he was only joking. He was also exceptionally obnoxious.

Kano left Momo then and walked past Kido. Their shoulders brushed for a second. Kano regarded her as if he wanted to say something. He seemed nervous. Then, shaking his head and letting out a small chuckle, he continued walking. Kido thought it was weird, but then again, Kano had always been a little strange.

Kido tilted her head upward to watch the clouds. They drifted really slowly, like lazy summer days. Ayano used to point out shapes in the clouds, Kido recalled. It was always fun to watch the clouds go by. Things had been so scary before, but those days had been pleasant and filled with happiness.

"... Kido-san?" she heard a voice call her name, snapping her out of her reverie.

Kido looked behind her. It was Marry, the girl with the white hair. Her magenta eyes were glittering with excitement.

"What is it, Kozakura?" Kido asked.

"What do you want to do this Valentine's Day?" Marry asked again. She gripped her grocery bag tighter. Marry had been anticipating going shopping today so that she could make some sort of chocolate confection later.

Kido smiled knowingly. It wasn't hard to figure out for whom the chocolate was. She was going to answer that no boy had ever paid much attention to her and she didn't really want to do anything when, suddenly, Momo screamed.

Kido turned around just in time to see Kano, who was walking slightly ahead of the girls, as he got hit by a truck.


	2. Chapter 2 - Stop Joking!

Chapter 2 - Stop Joking!

Kido needed time to think. Kano... Surely, surely he was kidding. He was using "that" to pretend that he was hurt. Then again, if he really was hurt, then they couldn't let him be taken away to the hospital. That would raise some questions - too many questions.

Better not to risk it. If he was pretending, he'd get an earful later. If not...

Using "that," Kido hid herself, Kano, and the other two girls.

The truck driver was a woman. She seemed puzzled. Adjusting her glasses, she peered out onto the road. Luckily, there were no passerby, so when the girls dragged Kano's limp body onto the sidewalk, no one witnessed what had happen. The truck driver finally shrugged and drove away.

"Let's go..." Kido whispered, although she wasn't aware that she had given the command. The way home was a blur. She was certain now that Kano wasn't kidding. He wasn't one to carry a joke for this long. Her fear rioted in the public square of her mind. She was only vaguely aware of the fact that Marry was sobbing.

Kido knocked on the door of the apartment. A boy with black hair, half of which was clipped by a yellow ornament, opened the door. He was grinning, but when "that" faded and his eyes fell on Kano, his tawny eyes widened and his smile disappeared.

"Wha-?!"

"Treat him, Seto..." Kido murmured.

Seto nodded grimly. With the help of the girls, he positioned Kano in his room on the bed.

Several hours later, Marry was furiously whipping cream as if that could solve all their problems. Momo was pacing.

Kido only stood in the corner of the room, arms crossed. She needed time to think. Luckily, Seto had said that Kano's wounds weren't serious, but everyone in the Mekakushi Dan was on edge. The little boy, Hibiya, had taken one look at Kano and he had thrown up. As Kido stood in the room's corner, he sat on the couch, knees pulled up to his chin. His brown eyes were empty, his brown hair falling all over his forehead.

At first, Kido didn't understand why he was so distraught. Kano only had a little blood on his temple and in his hair. Nothing too bad. Then she remembered that she told him he got hit by a truck, and she remembered also Hibiya's fear of trucks. He had good reason to hate the vehicle.

Kido sighed. Kano was going to get better. She knew he was.

Finally, Seto opened the door to Kano's room. "He's coming to," he told Kido. Pushing past him, Kido made her way to Kano's bedside.

He was stirring. First, his eyelids started blinking rapidly. Finally, he blinked his yellow eyes open. He looked groggy and confused.

"What...?" He began.

"Idiot!" Kido cried, slapping him hard in the cheek. "Never scare me like that again!"

Kano held his cheek and stared at her in shock. "Where am I? Who are you, and why'd you just hit me?" He seemed utterly bewildered, but also afraid.

"Stop joking!" Kido yelled.

Kano only looked more confused. "Joking? I'm really serious! Am I in danger or something?" He paused, then added quietly, "Who am I?"

Kido hit him again. "I said stop it, Kano!"

"Ka...no?"

Kido backhanded him, harder this time. Kano looked really scared, now. "Stop it! Stop joking around!"

She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Seto.

"Danchou," he said softly, his large eyes gentle and sad, "I don't think he's joking..."

Kido shook him off. "Of course he is!" she screamed. Shoving her hands into her sweatshirt, she stormed out of the room.

She finally believed it when she heard a terrified Kano scream, "D-Danchou? Are you some kind of gang or something?! Please don't hurt me!" After all, Kano would never pretend to forget the Mekakushi Dan; it was a part of him.

A/N: Sorry for the sorry chapter, everyone! Kano fans, especially, I apologize if you thought this was going to be a sweet romance/tragedy between Kano and Kido. I hope you'll keep reading, though! I'll be keeping two chapters ahead in my personal files, so I already have chapter four written. I'll try to update weekly, so please be patient. Thank you for reading, and I hope you all enjoyed!


	3. Chapter 3 - So

A/N: Just a warning, if you aren't comfortable with Kano being unlike, well, cocky, deceiving Kano, you probably should just quit this story all together. If you can tough it out, feel free to read chapter three. :) Enjoy! :)

Chapter 3 - So...

The bed was warm. Kido yawned. Eyes still closed, she realized that her cheek was sticky from being pressed against her pillow all night.

Stretching, she sluggishly climbed out of bed and scratched her messy bed hair.

It was just another normal Saturday morning, so she didn't bother putting on street clothes. After all, the Mekakushi Dan was really laid back, as Kano had pointed out to Shintaro.

Kano... She thought something was wrong concerning Kano. She couldn't quite remember what. Kano was certainly a queer child.

Stumbling into the kitchen, Kido was shocked to see that Kano and Shintaro were both already up. The black haired NEET was sitting at the table, bags under his eyes, looking utterly miserable while Ene yelled to do something from Shintaro's phone.

Kano was cupping a coffee mug with both hands. He and Shintaro were sitting side by side, rather awkwardly. Kano looked up when Kido entered.

"Good morning," he said softly, his cat-like eyes watching her with caution.

Ah, Kido sighed. That's what was wrong with Kano. That's why he wasn't teasing Shintaro like he usually would.

" 'Morning," Kido replied, a little coldly.

Shintaro took a swig of Coca Cola and pushed his chair back. His black shirt was rumpled. "Well, now that you're here, I guess I'll go," he said.

"Wait - " Kido began, but the NEET walked away quickly, muttering about how he always got stuck with the worst jobs. Actually, it was usually Kano who stuck him with the worst jobs...

Kido turned her gaze to the blond boy that she used to know. "So..."

"So..." he echoed.

They stared at each other uncomfortably. Kano had changed into plain clothes, a white t-shirt and black shorts, but his face wasn't a face that he had ever made before. Kido became aware of how sloppy she looked in her light lavender matching pajamas. Sure, they matched, but they were badly wrinkled and her hair was a mess. She blushed.

"My name... it's Shuuya?" He asked it to his coffee, not to Kido.

"Yes..." Kido answered, "but we all call you Kano."

"And you are?"

"My name is Kido Tsubomi. You..." She choked on the words. You call me Danchou. You don't call me Tsubomi, anymore, though. You just did that when we were younger... She wondered why he had stopped being Shuuya, why Tsubomi was gone, and why Kousuke had become Seto. It was like those children had all lost their identities. It was a melancholy thought.

"Kido-san, then," Kano whispered. He paused. "Does my family know that I'm here?"

"We are your family..." Kido fought back her anger. How could this idiot forget about that? About her, Seto and their childhood. About Ayano. About the Dan. About...

He shook his head. "Parents. My parents. And my siblings. Do I have siblings?"

Kido suppressed her fury - or were those tears? "You don't have any siblings. Well, Seto and I are your siblings, sort of. And Ayano was..."

"Seto... He's the boy with the green suit?"

"You always said he looks like a frog," Kido said sadly, a melancholy smile on her lips.

"No, he don't," Kano replied. Hearing that familiar slip in grammar, that old accent, hurt Kido's chest. She felt like she was drowning.

"Well, anyway, that's Seto," she responded quickly, a little harshly.

"And my parents?"

"You really don't remember?"

He shook his head.

"They're dead," Kido told him. "You grew up in an orphanage with Seto, Ayano and me."

"Who's Ayano?"

Kido said nothing. She turned and left so that he couldn't see her face. He was confused, she could tell.

"Kido-san?"

She turned back. "What?"

"... Are you... crying?"

"No," she lied. "No, I just have allergies."

Kano tilted his head innocently. "Okay," he said, in a voice like a little boy who was lost.

"Kido-san?" he called again.

"What?"

"Do I have a girlfriend?"

Kido smirked to herself. "No," she told him. Some things never changed.

He nodded again. "Okay," he said again in that little voice. "Do you have one?"

"I... ah... no..." she stuttered, turning crimson.

"Sorry... I mean... a boyfriend, I mean..." He suddenly glanced in fear at her hands, which she had tucked under her crossed arms.

"N-No..." Kido replied, a little embarrassed.

"So..."

"So..."

Kido stood and Kano sat, cupping his coffee, silently. Kano cleared his throat. Kido strode over to the refrigerator and pulled open the door.

The cold air crept over her skin. She pretended to inspect the contents of the fridge before pulling out the mochi treats that she never let Kano have for breakfast. He had just convinced her to buy them three days ago.

"Want one?" she held out the box of green tea ice cream mochi treats. She didn't really like the gummy skins, but the green tea ice cream inside was delicious, even if she didn't care to admit it.

He shook his head. "No thank you, Kido-san..." He paused, obviously scared that she would take offense and hit him like she had yesterday. "N-No offense, I just... I don't know what it is..."

Kido swallowed the lump in her throat. "Try one," she suggested, gently.

He took one of the treats and nibbled at it gingerly. He looked surprised.

"It's good!" he exclaimed.

Kido laughed. "You were the one who asked to buy it," she reminded him.

His face immediately sobered. "Oh," he whispered, trying to remember the request.

He leaned on the sleek wooden table. There was more silence.

At last, Kano got up from his chair and muttered something about the bathroom. "Can I go... to the bathroom...?" His voice was so timid. Kido thought it was disgusting.

She nodded. Kano would never have asked permission to use the bathroom.

Kano, the strange new Kano lowered his head in embarrassment. Shifting from one foot to the other, looking like he was going to wet himself right then and there, he muttered, "Um... where...?"

"First door on the right," Kido told the strange little boy who was Kano but was not Kano. She really didn't need him urinating in the kitchen.

He looked... bashful. Kano looked bashful. It was too much. A week ago, Kido would have paid to see this. Now, she just wanted this all to be a sick joke Kano was playing.

"Thank you, Kido-san..." he said as he awkwardly headed to the bathroom.

Kido sat down at the table and put her head down. The voice she heard in her mind wasn't timid. It was cocky, slightly annoying, and it called her "Danchou." She missed that voice already.

A/N: I know I said this one wouldn't come out until next week, but I got my omake chapter done early, and people seemed to want to read chapter three, so I hope you liked it! Please give me constructive criticism on how to improve my writing! Thanks for your support and your patience! :)


	4. Chapter 4 -The Deer Family

Chapter 4 - The Deer Family

For a long time, Kido sat in her chair, bare feet against the cold wood floor, staring at the dark steaks in the chestnut table.

"Danchou?"

Kido looked up. It was Seto. His hair was messy, curling around his ears, tangled in the back and, for some reason, there was a twig stuck in it. His pale face was glowing, though, and he seemed extremely happy.

"... What have you been doing?" Kido asked, a little irked that he was tracking mud into the kitchen.

"Oh, well, I woke up super early this morning and I heard the birds singing, so I thought it'd be fun to take a walk. :) "

"..."

"Is everything okay, Kido?"

"Yeah, I was just... I was talking to Kano this morning, that's all." Kido sighed. She slumped down in her chair and picked up Kano's coffee cup.

Seto walked around the table, pulled out a chair, and sat across from her. He had spun the chair around so that his arms tested on the chair's back. "Wanna talk about it?" he suggested gently.

Kido hesitated. Her dark grey eyes watched the ripples in Kano's coffee. "Who gave him coffee?"

"Hmmm?"

"Kano. Who gave him coffee?"

"Oh, I did," Seto grinned, a little sadly. "He seemed really fidgety in his room when I went to check up on him. Didn't look like he slept much last night, so I thought maybe some coffee would help. :)"

"Did he like it?" The cup seemed to still be half full.

"Well, he didn't really drink it. He tasted it a bit, but then he seemed to gag, poor guy. I guess he wasn't expecting it to be bitter. :)"

Kido glared at Seto. "Why are you smiling so much?"

He only grinned wider. "This morning, when I went out, it was only about seven in the morning. I went all the way out to the edge of town, and I saw a huge deer!" He smiled softly. "Those aren't really common near the city, so I was really happy to see it. The doe was with him, and the fawn, too. I think it was really cute how they were like a whole family, kinda like us, you know?"

Kido didn't say anything. She kept staring at Kano's coffee.

"And anyway, I was thinkin' that, you know, even if Ayano's gone and Kano is like he is now, we still can be a family."

He lowered his head and shook his dark hair. "As... As long as we're all still together, right?"

Sensing the shift in his tone, Kido glanced at her brother. For a second, she didn't see the Seto who was easygoing and made people laugh. It was almost as if he wasn't Seto for a second, but Kousuke, the little boy from years ago who had been afraid of bullies.

"Yeah," Kido finally said softly. "I guess they are kind of like us."

"And then, when spring comes, the doe will probably have more babies, so their family will keep getting bigger, just like the Dan, when new members like Marry join us," Seto smiled, trying to assure his friend.

Uncharacteristically, Kido tugged on Seto's rolled up green sleeve. Unlike everyone else, Seto had actually gotten dressed that morning. His forest green jumpsuit was covered in dirt, but Kido didn't mind. "Thanks, Seto," she whispered.

Seto only smiled. It was hard for Kido to admit that she wasn't as perfect and in control as she pretended to be, so Kido was glad that Seto didn't make a big deal out of it like some members of the Mekakushi Dan would have.

"Are you sure everything's okay, Kido?" Seto inquired kindly. "I know we're all a bit shocked about what happened."

Kido shook her head. "I don't want to talk about it."

Seto took her hand off of his sleeve. He held it. His hand was warm, and soft, like the winter blankets that protected Kido from the cold at night. "You'll be okay, Kido," he told her. His golden eyes regarded her knowingly. "You always are."

"Thanks, Seto," Kido whispered.

He nodded and let go of her hand. She almost felt vulnerable to ask him to hold it a little longer, but she couldn't bear to humiliate herself like that.

Seto got up and stretched; his arms extended upward. "Well, guess I'll go," he chuckled as he reached into the pocket of his jumpsuit. He held up a soft white, tiny flower with many petals in his palm for Kido to see. "The flowers are blooming early this year. :) I found this while I was walking and wanted to show Marry. :)"

He was almost out the door of the kitchen when Kido called out to him.

"Oi," she called.

"What is it, Kido?" Seto chirped cheerfully.

Suddenly feeling shy, and dreading the answer, Kido asked, "What would happen to the family of deer if one of the members got hurt or died?"

Seto hesitated, his face uneasy.

"I-I don't know... I guess... I guess the rest of the family would... would just have to move on. Otherwise, they'll all end up injured or dead."

A/N: Literary techniques are so much fun to use in fan fiction! I apologize that this chapter is so short, but I feel that it accomplished its purpose. The next chapter will be an omake chapter, so feel free to read it, or you can just skip it. I hope you've enjoyed this story/chapter! Thank you very much for your support!


	5. Chapter 4 point 5 - The Brave Boy

Chapter 4.5 - The Deer Family and the Brave Boy

Seto liked to take walks. Today was a beautiful day for a walk. Even though it was only February, the sun was shining brightly, and it was the kind of sunshine that looks like a person eating watermelon - refreshed and happy.

He loved morning. The majority of the city was indoors, still asleep. This wasn't the case in big cities like Tokyo or Osaka, but here, it was perfectly normal, especially on the edge of the city. There were no cars about, so it was nice and quiet. Seto liked that. It seemed there was always so much noise.

He usually walked along the bridge to go down to the ocean steps, but today, he felt uneasy about it. According to Kido, Marry, and Momo, Kano's accident had occurred on the bridge. He wasn't sure if he was superstitious or paranoid, but he definitely didn't want to go the bridge today, even if it meant missing out on seeing the glittering sapphire vastness of the ocean.

He took a detour instead. Here, the houses were older. They were lower, too, this far out from the center of the city. He ran his hand along one of the walls. The stone was cracking and rough.

He walked silently down the dirt path. This part of town had been poorer than the rest of the city. It had long ago been abandoned for the newer, low-rent developments in town.

Actually, this neighborhood used to be heavily populated. Seto remembered this place extremely well. He remembered the dirty children, his own grubby clothes, and the stones that the rich kids had thrown. The bruises had healed, but the words stayed forever.

"You're so dirty," they had cried. "I hate you." And Seto had listened. He had thought that he was dirty and ugly. He had wanted to die. And one day, he did.

The voices had been so loud afterward.

Maybe that's why he loved nature so much. It was dirty, yes, but to him, the woods were never hostile. They were quiet. They never screamed in his head; the leaves only ever whispered in his ears.

Seto leaned on a thick, old, oak tree at the very edge of the town. He knew the way from here to the old house. He simply stood, reminiscing about the old days.

Suddenly, he saw a flash of brown in the underbrush.

It was a stag. Seto had always wanted to be near a deer. He wanted to reach out and pat its soft hide, stroke the gleaming horns, and nuzzle its sinewy neck.

The stag looked up at him. He was breathtaking. In all his life, Seto had found deer to be fascinating. This buck wasn't only fascinating. It was majestic. He stood tall and proud, antlers gleaming as the sun's light hit them. His fur was a dull brown, but it glistened in the early morning light. His large eyes were deep mahogany with a fringe of dark eyelashes. They regarded Seto intelligently. Seto could only gape at the sheer majesty of the creature.

There was a rustling from the woods, and a doe came out to stand by her mate. She, too, was majestic, but in her own way. Her soft brown fur looked like silk, and her large eyes were gentle and loving as she watched her fawn coming out alongside her. The fawn looked much like its mother, but instead of a sense of majesty, one felt a sense of vulnerability. The fragile child looked almost ephemeral.

Locking eyes with Seto, the deer seemed to be telling him something. Seto almost thought his power was allowing him to hear the stag's thoughts until he realized his eyes weren't burning.

The stag turned and bounded away into the forest. His family followed closely behind.

Seto got on his stomach and crept to where the deer family had been only minutes ago. It seemed unreal, but there were prints in the grass. Crawling, he crept up between the trees, getting a twig stuck in his messy, wind blown hair in the process. The stag and his family were gone, but there, amongst the grass, was a delicate white flower, a daisy. He recognized this kind of flower from when he was a little boy.

Standing up, Seto gently placed the flower in his pocket. He would show it to Marry later.

A/N: I apologize for the short chapter. This really was just supposed to be an omake. It was originally meant to be a joke, but it was hard to keep the home recognizable while also keeping this chapter appropriate, so I chose to be safe. This chapter is largely drawn from "Shounen Brave" and the beginning/end of "Kuusou Forest." I hope you enjoyed it! Please leave a review; constructive criticism is appreciated! :)


	6. Chapter 5 - Truck-phobia

A/N: Get ready for a feels-y chapter, awkward Hibis! :)

Chapter 5 - Truck Phobia

"Danchou, it's getting kind of late, isn't it?" Momo asked.

"Mmm."

"Danchou?"

"Mmm." Kido had her face pressed up against the table where she had been sitting since the morning. It wasn't even really that late, but she was already exhausted.

"Danchou, shouldn't we be doing something?" The silly blond girl tugged on her pink hoodie nervously.

"Go watch TV or something," Kido told her. She honestly didn't feel like getting up. "Or go outside."

Momo stared at her. "But... that's kind of a bad idea if you're not going."

"Then don't go outside."

The table was nice. Maybe she could just stay here. Forever. The woman she trusted to cheer her up was gone. The girl who always made her smile could never be reached again. And now, the boy who reassured her for most of her life was gone as well. Sure, he was an idiot, but she could always have counted on him. Now who did she have? Not her real big sister, not oneesan, and not Kano. She still had Seto, but Seto was different. He was her brother, of course, but sometimes, it felt like his loyalties lay with Marry and with the woods as opposed to their family and the Dan.

"Guess I'll just have to cook lunch, then!" Momo declared.

Normally, Kido would have bolted out of her chair and ordered her to sit down. The idol was sure to have some talent, but unfortunately, cooking was not among those talents.

Today, she stayed in her chair. She wasn't really hungry. Actually, she just didn't feel like she cared anymore.

"Danchou... have you seen Hibiya-kun? Or Konoha-san? I mean, I know Konoha-san sleeps a lot, but usually, Hibiya-kun is up by now." Momo seemed slightly worried for the little boy.

Actually, Kido hadn't thought about any of the Dan members all day. She had just been moping. It was really uncharacteristic of her. Her conversation with Kano had left her exhausted, though. Then there was what Seto had said about the deer family...

"Danchou?"

"I'll go check," she volunteered, slightly miserably. At least it gave her a reason to stop moping. Pull yourself together, Kido, she thought to herself. Do it for the Dan, at least, if you won't do it for yourself. What good is it just sitting around like this.

Rising slowly from her chair, Kido stretched out her stiff legs. She could feel the soft fabric of her pants rubbing against her leg. It had been stuck to her skin all day, and now it hurt a little, since the little cotton bits were chafing and clinging. She shuffled to Hibiya's room, still not feeling herself.

She breathed deeply. Come on, Kido, she thought. Pull yourself together. Pretending to have the confidence that she usually showed, she knocked firmly on the door.

"Oi," she called, hoping she sounded normal. "Are you in there?"

She was surprised to hear a breathy male voice reply, "Yes." That voice was Konoha's, not Hibiya's.

"Well, I'm coming in," she asserted. Not giving anyone, Konoha or Hibiya, a chance to reply, she pushed open the door roughly. It was a little harder than she had meant to push it, but she was just so frustrated with everything that had happened that she unintentionally took it out on Hibiya's door.

Inside, Kido was quite surprised. It seemed that Hibiya had been awake all along. It actually looked like he had never gone to sleep. His hair was rumpled, as expected of a twelve year old boy, but there were dark bags under his eyes. His eyes themselves...

Kido almost jolted backward at the shock of Hibiya's eyes. They were dead tired, almost to the point of being just dead. Those were not the eyes of a little boy. They were deep eyes. Eyes that had seen too much; they were eyes that had given up.

Perhaps even more surprising was that Hibiya was crouched on Konoha's lap. Konoha was cradling him, a bit like one might cradle a baby or a small animal. Konoha held Hibiya gently. He regarded Kido with his eyes like liquid bubblegum medicine.

"Good morning, Danchou," he said softly. His eyes, too, were extremely sad. It was rare that Konoha ever showed any expression.

"... Mm," Kido murmured, even though morning had passed a while ago. "Uh... I came in to say... Uh... to say..." She paused, unsure of what she had come in for. She had been in a miserable state, and now the shock of seeing Hibiya so dejected left her mind muddled.

Konoha waited patiently. Hibiya continued to tremble in Konoha's grasp like a bunny, his dead eyes staring at the floor.

"Uh, oh yeah! Food! Uh... Momo's cooking... lunch or something..."

That should have warranted a response. Konoha ate a lot; he would have gotten up to eat something, usually. As for Hibiya, no one was more snarky to Momo than he was. He would have said something mean and called Momo "old lady" for sure.

Neither of the boys reacted as they were expected to.

Kido stepped away awkwardly. "J-just... just come out later if you get hungry," she mumbled, trying to sound gruff.

As she closed the door, she heard Hibiya whimper, "Hiyori..."

It was followed by Konoha's soft voice: "I know."

Kido didn't question it. She knew, too. She knew Hibiya had it tough, but she hadn't expected him to react so negatively.

Not for the first time that day, Kido found that she wished Kano was still okay. As much as she hated to admit it, he would have known what to do. She needed her second in command.

But more than that, though she didn't want to admit it, she wanted to be able to count on him to make her smile, like he usually did.

A/N: Sorry for the late update! I'm busier than ever now, so updates are slow. I'm so sorry! This chapter is kind of short, too. Sorry about that! Next chapter is a cute-ish fluff piece (I think? I'm not very good at fluff) abd then there's another omake after that (warning: May be inappropriate for younger readers; read at your own discretion. It's not rated M or anything like that, just a little inappropriate). I'll finally get back to some serious plot after that. I'm writing another Kagepro fan fiction at the same time, too, so Invisible will probably be really slow. Sorry! Anyway, that's the itinerary. Thanks for all your support, awkward Hibis! :) I really appreciate every read and every review!


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